Opened in 2016 as the highest and largest footbridge ever constructed, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Footbridge is also home to the highest public bungy platform in the world with a drop of 250 meters. The central suspension span is spectacular not only for having glass panels along its entire length but also for the tapered deck that is 15 meters wide at the ends of the bridge before narrowing to a width of only 6 meters in the center. Bridge architect Haim Dotan and engineer Zhi Dong Cheng pulled off this rare feat of engineering by curving the two main support cables inward, allowing the web of wire support stringers to soar outward in a V-shaped pattern that opens the bridge up to the sky like a giant butterfly. The cable support towers are 45 meters apart from each other on either side of the canyon with plans to eventually enclose them in rock giving the appearance of natural stone spires.

The 6 meter wide deck is amazing for being only .6 meters deep despite a length of 385 meters. This depth to span ratio of 625:1 is greater then any other stiffened deck suspension bridge in the world. The 2,200 ton steel and glass deck was tested at Hunan University in Changsha to withstand wind speeds of 6 m/s, or 201.6 km per hour.

The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Footbridge is one of several attractions within the privately owned park that is located just 20 minutes east of the famous Zhangjiajie National Park that inspired the look of the Avatar movies. Other attractions include a cliffwalk, mountain elevator, slide, waterfalls, caves, a smaller low level glass bridge, zip line and a boat ride.

For most visitors, the visual highlight of a trip to the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge will be viewing the gorge between their toes through glass panels 2 inches thick. But for those few who are brave enough to take their thrills to the next level, the ultimate fall awaits them on two separate platforms located several meters below the main deck. The west platform is where Bungy China runs the world's highest bungy jump at about 250 meters. On the east platform they plan to install a slightly less intense decelerator drop ride where guests dangling from the end of a cord are quickly lowered to the bottom of the gorge at a constant rate of around 60 kilometers per hour that is not as fast or out of control as the bungy drop but no less exhilarating.

The bridge engineer ZhiDong Chen and his wife SiQing Luo show us the latest design of the bridge. Image by Richard Scott.

A view of the gorge where a wood walkway allows visitors to hike along the river where there are waterfalls, caves, a small glass bridge and a boat ride. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The designer and some of his staff along with a news reporter from Cili County. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Many borings that were drilled on the west side plateau. Image by Richard Scott.

A series of switchback stairs descend down into the grandest part of the canyon. Image by Richard Scott.

To make the descent even more fun, the owners built a smooth stone marble slide down the canyon. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

White gloves allow riders to brake themselves along the the edges of the trough. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A view of the bridge crossing site from the river. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Richard Scott.

Image by Richard Scott.

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Completed in 2011, this small glass bridge was a trial run for the giant bridge that opened in 2016. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A food stand along the river trail. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The trail continues on through a large cave. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by John Morrison.

A classic footbridge crosses over a cave creek along the trail. Image by John Morrison.

Image by Richard Scott.

At the end of the trail a boat takes visitors across a huge man-made lake that was created by the park's chief engineer ZhiDong Chen. Image by Richard Scott.

Image by Richard Scott.

With a can-do spirit and an inventive imagination, Mr. ZhiDong Chen has turned the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon into a major scenic destination where unique surprises await visitors around ever corner. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com